Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1336 By Senator Rodriguez 40-02012-25 20251336__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to public records; amending s. 3 474.2185, F.S.; providing an exemption from public 4 records requirements for records relating to licensed 5 veterinary technicians until specified criteria are 6 met; providing a statement of public necessity; 7 providing a contingent effective date. 8 9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 10 11 Section 1.Section 474.2185, Florida Statutes, is amended 12 to read: 13 474.2185Consent Veterinarians consent; handwriting 14 samples; mental or physical examinations.A veterinarian or 15 veterinary technician who accepts a license to practice 16 veterinary medicine or veterinary technology, as applicable, in 17 this state shall, by so accepting the license or by making and 18 filing a renewal of licensure to practice in this state, be 19 deemed to have given her or his consent, during a lawful 20 investigation of a complaint or of an application for licensure 21 and when the information has been deemed necessary and relevant 22 to the investigation as determined by the secretary of the 23 department, to the following: 24 (1)To render a handwriting sample to an agent of the 25 department and, further, to have waived any objections to its 26 use as evidence against her or him. 27 (2)To waive the confidentiality and authorize the 28 preparation and release of medical reports pertaining to the 29 mental or physical condition of the licensee when the department 30 has reason to believe that a violation of this chapter has 31 occurred and when the department issues an order, based on the 32 need for additional information, to produce such medical reports 33 for the time period relevant to the complaint. As used in this 34 section, medical reports means a compilation of medical 35 treatment of the licensee which shall include symptoms, 36 diagnosis, treatment prescribed, relevant history, and progress. 37 (3)To waive any objection to the admissibility of the 38 reports as constituting privileged communications. Such material 39 maintained by the department is confidential and exempt from s. 40 119.07(1) until probable cause is found and an administrative 41 complaint is issued. 42 Section 2.The Legislature finds that it is a public 43 necessity that medical reports pertaining to the mental or 44 physical condition of a licensed veterinary technician obtained 45 by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation as 46 part of the complaint and investigation process be made 47 confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 48 s. 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution. The Legislature 49 finds that the rights of a licensed veterinary technician 50 afforded under other state or federal laws that deem certain 51 personal information confidential, such as protected health 52 information covered by the Health Insurance Portability and 53 Accountability Act, should be upheld and that the licensed 54 veterinary technicians exempt or confidential information 55 should not be disclosed to the public until probable cause is 56 found and an administrative complaint is issued. The licensed 57 veterinary technicians exempt or confidential information, if 58 publicly available, could be used to invade his or her personal 59 privacy. Making such information confidential and exempt from 60 disclosure will protect information of a sensitive personal 61 nature, the release of which could cause unwarranted damage to 62 the privacy rights of the licensed veterinary technician. The 63 Legislature therefore finds that it is a public necessity that 64 such information be made confidential and exempt until probable 65 cause is found and an administrative complaint is issued. 66 Section 3.This act shall take effect on the same date that 67 SB 898 or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation 68 is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension 69 thereof and becomes a law.